Finding archived caches in new screens

[+Mockingbird559]

I went looking for a cache from an old printout that I had close at hand so I could see the latest logs.

 

Using the GC number in the new screens, I came with only the nearby caches, not the one I wanted.

 

Having the CO name, I looked and found that the cache has been archived.

 

So....

even knowing the GC number, I can't look up an archived cache?????

 

Why the step backwards? What am I missing on how to find an archived cache?

[+MartyBartfast]

What am I missing on how to find an archived cache?

 

go to http://coord.info/GC?????? wher GC?????? is the GC code of the archived cache.

[+TriciaG]

At the very least, you could put it in the http://coord.info web address

 

Such as: http://coord.info/GC3YDPQ will pull up that cache listing.

 

EDIT: And, of course, if you know part of the cache name, you can enter that in the filters.

Edited March 14, 2015 by TriciaG

[+Mineral2]

Archived caches don't show up in searches.

 

Although... for any lackeys that are listening, it would be nice to add a feature for the ability to search through the archives.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Boy... I dunno that it should be made *easy* to search for archived caches.

 

Certainly, most wouldn't pose a problem... but all it takes is for one "bad apple" to get somebody sued, arrested, injured or even worse...

 

A fair number of cache archivals are because of trespassing issues or even illegal placements (discovered after publishing).

 

 

I believe that is probably why they are removed from 'normal' searches upon archival -- a blanket policy. Much easier and less resource utilization than trying to cull out those archivals because of trespassing or legitimacy issues.

[+Markwell]

Archived caches don't show up in searches.

 

Although... for any lackeys that are listening, it would be nice to add a feature for the ability to search through the archives.

Won't happen - for various reasons.

 

Once reason: While it's probably not a large percentage, some caches were archived because land managers (or land owners) didn't want the caches there. As a result, Groundspeak is pretty adamant about making archived caches not show up in regular searches - making them difficult (but not impossible) to find. I can think of about 5 or 6 caches archived just since the first of the year in my area that were archived because a land manager said they didn't want geocachers poking around the endangered species in a particular area. If those caches showed up on standard searches, people would likely still be going to those locations.

Edited March 14, 2015 by Markwell

[Blue Square Thing]

Once reason: While it's probably not a large percentage, some caches were archived because land managers (or land owners) didn't want the caches there. As a result, Groundspeak is pretty adamant about making archived caches not show up in regular searches - making them difficult (but not impossible) to find. I can think of about 5 or 6 caches archived just since the first of the year in my area that were archived because a land manager said they didn't want geocachers poking around the endangered species in a particular area. If those caches showed up on standard searches, people would likely still be going to those locations.

It would deb helpful if a note were put on such caches then. This would help other people who might be interested in putting caches in the same (or close) location see why there is an issue with that location (given that it's not unknown for people to not get land manager approval as far as I can tell). That makes archived cache listings much more useful imo.

 

The answer to the OP is to use Project GC - a Map Compare under the Tools menu and then employ the archived filter.

[+Mockingbird559]

I guess I should have known better that what I thought was a simple question about using a GC number for directly accessing a page for an archived cache would have deteriorated into a harangue about irrelevant land manager issues. My bad, Maybe I’ll learn, probably won’t. I do know that I have never wanted to see an archived cache for a reason that had to do with land manager issues.

 

I just want to look at a cache page using only the GC number. That’s it. That easy, that simple, that quick.

 

When using only the GC number, the state of the cache should not matter, whether active, disabled or archived. Just a few days ago we were able to enter the GC number, click go and have the cache page displayed right away. (The ‘GC’ was already typed in for you!) Easy, simple, quick. We could do that until this last “improvement”, and I can’t imagine any sensible reason not to be able to do that today. Now, using the GC number in the new screens, the best you get is a list of caches near the archived cache, even thought you know the EXACT cache you wanted. The current screen makes no acknowledgement whatsoever about the archived cache. You don’t know if you made a typo, if it ever existed, was archived or fell off the face of the earth. It is cachona-non-grata.

 

I know about using:

http://coord.info/xxxx

 

If I know the CO name, and can find that name, and don’t have to wade through pages and pages of his caches, then MAYBE I can find the cache. Maybe. Much easier said than done.

 

Using the cache name for an archived cache, if you know it exactly, returns: “We couldn't recognize that location. Please try again.” Really?

 

We should not have to do those things. We already had a much better way to see a cache page.

 

Now we find ourselves having to endure a huge cumbersome screen display, requiring scrolling, filters and who knows what else, on which we must seek and find the cache we want, and make yet another click to see the actual page we want. That is IF the cache is displayed on the list.

 

Again……..I am not seeking one or more random, unknown, archived caches. I want to see a specific, GC named cache, which just may happen to be archived.

 

I see no reason not to be able to go directly to a specific cache page in one step using only the GC number, regardless of the status of the cache (after it has been published).

 

Why Oh Why make things more difficult to go to a specific cache page? What did we do to deserve this?

 

In writing this post I have surprisingly found two ways to go directly to a cache page, archived or not, using only the GC number but they are not on the find a cache screen and I will bet 10 FTF's that they will be made more cumbersome or will disappear soon.

 

Some of the posts here and on other threads were helpful, and ...

 

Thanks Blue Square Thing (with the red square thing). Have never tried Project GC but it gets referenced here often so maybe I will look into it someday. It just seems odd that an entire web site and all that goes with it is needed to get more out of this one.

 

I have now become even more convinced that the web designers do not play the game as others do.

 

Trying to...

Cache Happy

[Blue Square Thing]

If you know the GC code then the Project GC homepage has a box to put it in. Then hit the cache button - it found GC42 for me - an archived cache in Chile. There's no need to have authenticated your account as far as I can tell to do that.

 

The search here had me in the right area but doesn't give me the cache. I've never quite understood why not.

Edited March 15, 2015 by Blue Square Thing

[+Harry Dolphin]

Due to the bizarre 'update' to finding caches, entering the GC code in "Find a Cache" no longer works for archived caches. However (at least for now, until I mentioned it...) the GC code still works under "Log a Cache".

[Keystone]

If you know the GC code then the Project GC homepage has a box to put it in.

So does the Geocaching.com homepage. It's toward the top right of the screen, if you're logged in.

[Blue Square Thing]

If you know the GC code then the Project GC homepage has a box to put it in.

So does the Geocaching.com homepage. It's toward the top right of the screen, if you're logged in.

So it does. I'd never tried that.

 

Don't take this the wrong way or anything, but it is a bit odd that I can out a Gc code into a box labelled "search for nearby geocaches" and with my location coordinates in. I'd have had no idea I could put a gc code in there and go to the specific page if you hadn't said so.

[+Ambrosia]

If you know the GC code then the Project GC homepage has a box to put it in.

So does the Geocaching.com homepage. It's toward the top right of the screen, if you're logged in.

So it does. I'd never tried that.

 

Don't take this the wrong way or anything, but it is a bit odd that I can out a Gc code into a box labelled "search for nearby geocaches" and with my location coordinates in. I'd have had no idea I could put a gc code in there and go to the specific page if you hadn't said so.

Yeah, that's weird. Wish I had known that on Saturday, could have saved me some stress.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Boy... I dunno that it should be made *easy* to search for archived caches.

 

 

I'm not going to debate whether or not searching for archived caches should be easy.

 

However, in general, I think that the priority for the search engine should be to discover caches that one can find near your current location or some location you will be visiting.

 

Being able to search for archived caches, finding every cache in the work with "banana" in the title, or using the search engine to facilitate the completion of some convoluted challenge cache, should, IMHO be secondary.

 

 

 

[+niraD]

However, in general, I think that the priority for the search engine should be to discover caches that one can find near your current location or some location you will be visiting.

 

Being able to search for archived caches, finding every cache in the work with "banana" in the title, or using the search engine to facilitate the completion of some convoluted challenge cache, should, IMHO be secondary.

+1

 

Actually, I'd say the search for archived caches is a tertiary priority, after the secondary priority of finding currently active caches that meet whatever arbitrary requirements the user happens to have.